In many minimal invasive interventions multipurpose catheters are used, in which treatment and monitoring functionalities are integrated. One example of such a multipurpose catheter is an ablation catheter comprising a radio frequency (RF) ablation tip and sensitive ultrasound elements, i.e. ultrasound transducers, which may be used for monitoring, for instance, lesion depth in real-time. The ablation catheter comprises a high current ablation wire for conducting RF ablation current from an external ablation current source to the tip of the ablation catheter and signal wires for transmitting ultrasound signals from the ultrasound elements arranged at the tip of the ablation catheter to an external ultrasound control unit. Within the ablation catheter the high current ablation wire and the signal wires are generally well shielded from each other such that the magnetic field generated by the high current flowing through the high current ablation wire does not induce a significant induction voltage within the signal wires. However, an electrical connector is used for electrically connecting the high current ablation wire and the signal wires to the ablation current source and the ultrasound control unit, respectively, wherein within the electrical connector the signal wires are often less shielded from the magnetic field generated by the high ablation current flowing through the high current ablation wire, which may lead to induced voltages in the signal wires that interfere with the ultrasound signals to be transmitted and therefore diminish the quality of the transmitted ultrasound signals.
WO 99/27627 discloses an apparatus comprising a capacitor gasket defining a through hole, a conductive plate coupled adjacent to the capacitor gasket and in electrical contact with a plurality of capacitors of the capacitor gasket, and a pair of conductive contacts each having a thin region, wherein the conductive contacts are coupled to a differential pair of signal lines. WO 2012/087956 A2 discloses an apparatus comprising a first differential signal pair and a second differential signal pair, wherein the second differential signal pair is located near the first differential signal pair and switches polarity near a middle point of a routing length of the second differential signal pair.
WO 2011/066445 A2 discloses an RF ablation system comprising an ablation catheter with a hollow conductive coaxial cable, a connector at a proximal end of the cable and an ablation member a distal end of the cable configured to apply RF energy to a target tissue site. The cable has a first inner elongated electrically conductive tubular member having an axially extended lumen or passageway, a second elongated outer electrically conductive member disposed in a substantially coaxial relationship over at least a portion of the first electrically conductive tubular member, a dielectric medium between the inner and outer conductive tubular members, and an electromagnetic (EM) tracking sensor located at the distal end of the cable. The RF ablation system further comprises an EM field generator for generating an EM field which induces a voltage in the EM tracking sensor when the EM tracking sensor is within the generated EM field and a signal processing unit with a signal processor connected to the connector at the proximal end of the cable, wherein the EM tracking sensor communicates with the signal processor and the signal processor is configured to detect an induced voltage in the EM tracking sensor and to determine the position and orientation of the distal end of the ablation catheter in a patient's body using the induced voltage.